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Located on the 25th floor of Andaz Singapore in the Bugis area, Teppan Chef’s Table is the latest addition to Alley on 25, a curated collection of cuisines and dining concepts.

Credit – Andaz Singapore

Teppan Chef’s Table is housed in a small, open-concept area. It boasts not only a front row seat to watch the chefs prepare your meal, but also an expansive view of the city skyline. Ideal for business lunches with your colleagues, clients or even bosses!

This concept dining space is helmed by Chef Tommy Yeo. He has more than 30 years of experience working as a teppanyaki chef in places like Raffles Town Club and specialty Japanese Wagyu restaurant, Kobe Beef Teppanyaki Yoshida.

I was impressed even before stepping into the space — the aroma of grilled meats and vegetables wafted through the air, guiding me to my seat.

I could really see the effort put into preparing each dish. Chef Tommy delicately plated the ingredients to create an aesthetically pleasing, harmonious picture using the bowl as his canvas.

We first had the Miso Atlantic Salmon (S$28++), which blew my mind. Cooked to perfection, the generous salmon fillet was crisp yet succulent. The meat was flaky and fresh, with a delicate and refined sweetness only possible with high-quality salmon that’s cooked well.

The cut of salmon was lined with fat in between flakes, resulting in a really good fats-to-lean-meat ratio. Each bite of salmon melted in my mouth and left me wanting more.

Each rice bowl contains grilled vegetables, which I felt were done well. The corn was sweet with some snap, which paired well with the delicate sweetness of the salmon. It also enhanced the texture of the dish with an interplay between flaky fish and crunchy corn.

The smoky, buttery edamame similarly paired well with the main ingredient. While the mushrooms were not as juicy as expected, its smoky earthiness reinforced the char of the ingredients prepared teppanyaki-style.

We also had the Black Angus Beef Tenderloin (S$32++). Though the beef was tender and broke apart easily, it lacked the volume for that melt-in-mouth effect.

The char on the beef was rather average, but still provided that earthy smokiness that always pairs well with the slight gaminess of the beef. I’d like it more with a thicker cut of beef though.

The rice usually makes or breaks a donburi dish. Luckily, Teppan Chef’s Table did not disappoint — I was impressed by the level of attention to detail. The fluffy steamed Japanese white rice was slathered with the right amount of soy sauce.

Interestingly, the sauce had a little acidity reminiscent of wine, which elevated the entire dish. On top of that, the rice was lightly seasoned with bonito flakes that provided a hint of smoky, salty umami, as well as sesame seeds that added a nutty flavour and subtle crunch.

Lastly, we had the Chicken Teriyaki (S$24++) which I personally loved. The chicken was smoky, buttery and tender, bouncing back as I poked it with my fork. I tasted the salt and pepper added during the grilling process, and appreciated the smokiness of the toasted ground black pepper that paired nicely with the chicken.

We added an Onsen Egg (S$2.50) to the Chicken Teriyaki (S$24++)donburi which I definitely do not regret. The egg yolk was creamy and rich, and helped bring together the meaty chicken flavour with the savoury sweetness of the teriyaki sauce.

All donburi dishes served at Teppan Chef’s Table come in a set with miso soup, mixed salad, Japanese pickles as well as fresh fruits. I had a mixed reaction to these though. The miso soup did not have any added MSG, which was great, but I felt that it was more salty than umami.

The mixed salad featured a creamy sesame sauce which was delightfully aromatic. While the vegetables were not as crisp as expected, the sesame seeds were tiny, explosive pockets of nutty crunchiness, and compensated for the lack of crisp texture.

I appreciated having the fresh fruits to finish off the set lunch. The acidity of the pineapple cut through any residual oiliness from the meat. Also, the sweet, juicy watermelon was refreshing, which was a wonderful finishing note to the meal.

Teppan Chef’s Table serves reasonably priced, fulfilling and nutritious meals targeted at office workers in the area. It’s really quite a good deal if you consider the prime location, luxe ambience, and expertise of the chef.

My favourite dish was the Miso Atlantic Salmon (S$28++). Keeping in mind the difficulty of preparing fish extremely well, the quality and doneness of the salmon cut really impressed me. Definitely give this one a try!

If you’re lucky, you might even get to catch Chef Tommy executing theatrical flips and tricks that added the fun factor that’s a hallmark for Teppanyaki-style cuisine. Drop by for an unforgettable and unique dining experience!